Ontario NDP calls on province to reject Orchard Villa’s expansion proposal
The Ontario NDP is calling on the provincial government to reject an expansion proposal by the owner of the Orchard Villa Long-term Care Home, where dozens of people died due to the COVID-19 pandemic and alleged neglect and abuse.
The NDP issued a letter on Wednesday calling on the government to reject the proposal by Southbridge Care Homes Inc., saying the proposal is “disturbing” for the family members who lost loved ones at the home.
The for-profit company’s proposal is calling for the development of new long-term care beds and the issuance of a new license with a term of up to 30 years at their Orchard Villa facility.
“At this moment in Ontario’s history, it is not acceptable for the operator of this home to maintain their current license, much less receive an additional one for even more beds under their control,” the NDP said in the letter.
“After clearly failing to responsibly care for Ontario’s seniors, a license extension for this private corporation would be a reward instead of justice following what every Ontarian saw transpiring at their facility.”
The Canadian Armed Forces intervened at Orchard Villa and five other homes during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to offer support. Shortly after their visit, the military issued a damning report describing the alleged horrors witnessed at each of the five homes.
The report spoke about residents being left in their beds with soiled diapers at Orchard Villa. Staff were also placing residents’ belongings out of their reach, according to the report, and some slept on bare mattresses because of supply shortages.
The report also stated that there were nursing medication administration errors, and that staff failed to sit residents up to feed and give them medication, saying that one choking incident appeared to have contributed to a resident's death.
The NDP also cited that the government’s own long-term care commission highlighted the failures of the long-term care home, saying that staff had a poor understanding of how to use personal protective equipment and failed to keep the home clean due to staff shortages.
“These reports were tragic and shocking to some, but many family members of residents told media that they were not surprised by these revelations,” the NDP’s letter said.
“Before the pandemic Orchard Villa had a Level 3 compliance history, the second-worst possible category, which the ministry categorizes as ‘actual harm/risk.’”
CTV News Toronto reached out to Southbridge Care Homes Inc. for comment on Wednesday morning but has not yet received a response.
The NDP say that Orchard Villa and Southbridge Care are currently facing four separate lawsuits related to negligence, and that Durham police are currently reviewing reports from Orchard Villa and refuse to rule out a criminal investigation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar's beef: 'Nobody won the war'
While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
Trump heading to Jersey Shore to rally 'mega crowd' in weekend break from hush money trial
After a long week in court, Donald Trump is heading to the Jersey Shore. And his campaign says he'll be joined by "tens of thousands" of his friends.
For moms-to-be, it's possible to take maternity leave without breaking the bank
Pregnancy is often an exciting and anxious time for parents-to-be. And while painting the nursery and choosing a stroller are typically on the agenda, experts say preparing financially for a maternity leave can help reduce stress later on as well.
Fine dining, at a new high. A Michelin-starred chef will take his cuisine to our upper atmosphere
Six guests are set to ascend aboard Spaceship Neptune to the stratosphere, where they will enjoy an immersive dining experience served up by Danish Michelin-starred chef Rasmus Munk.
Israel orders new evacuations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as it prepares to expand operations
Israel ordered new evacuations in Gaza's southern city of Rafah on Saturday, forcing tens of thousands more people to move as it prepares to expand its operation and adding that it is also moving into an area in northern Gaza where Hamas has regrouped.